Star Wars, Iron Giant, Bionicle Principals Band Together

A new U.K. TV and film production company has been formed by Oscar-winning producer Gary Kurtz (American Graffiti, Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Dark Crystal), Richard Bazley (lead animator on Disney’s Hercules and Pocahontas and Warner Bros.’ Osmosis Jones and The Iron Giant) and Alastair Swinnerton (co-creator of The Baskervilles and Lego’s Bionicle).

Corsham Ent. will initially develop, produce and co-produce animation films and TV series. The new company will take over the properties currently being developed by Swinnerton’s BA20 Ent., which will close. Those projects include the Christmas special Jack Frost, exec. produced by John Coates, and the CG action/adventure series Terranoids. Among the properties Kurtz and Bazley will bring to the table is a yet unclassified major 2D animated feature. Live action projects are also in the pipeline.

The company gets its name from the location of Bazley’s studio within the Bath Studios complex at Corsham, Wiltshire, which will be Corsham Ent.’s production base. Drawing on the South West’s wealth of animation talent, Corsham Ent. intends to animate many of its productions in-house, with the exception of those already under co-pro agreements.